Pick 'em: How many games should Michal Neuvirth start on the road trip?

When the Capitals elected to reassign Dany Sabourin to Hershey yesterday and bring up Braden Holtby, 21, a logical conclusion was that the latter could potentially have the opportunity to make his NHL debut, should the team elect to give Michal Neuvirth a rest during their first major road trip. It's a chance Holtby is certainly excited about, but one he knows he ultimately doesn't control either.

"I'm definitely hoping for it and it's out of my hands but it was a good practice [Monday] and I'm confident that I adjusted to this level fairly quickly," Holtby said. "I don't know what's going to happen on the road trip, but I know kind of how they view the goaltending situations and that three [games] in four nights is quite a bit. Hopefully I can use these two days to show them I am ready to start and focus on showing I can perform."

Although Coach Bruce Boudreau said yesterday that the Capitals aren't afraid to lead with Neuvirth, who has proven his ability to excel with a tough schedule, this stretch of three games in four days involves significantly more travel and time zones (3) than the stretch of games Neuvirth played to kick off the season. So it's definitely possible that Holtby could earn his first start, but it wouldn't be too surprising either to see Neuvirth get the nod each time.

Considering how well Neuvirth has played -- he's 5-2 in eight games (seven starts) with a .919 save percentage and 2.53 GAA -- and how many of Washington's victories can be closely tied to his ability to keep the Capitals in games.

So, what would you do? Start Neuvirth, assuming nothing strange happens and he continues his strong play, in all three? Or should Neuvirth get a bit of a break and Holtby play in his first NHL game? Does it all depend on the unknown of how each contest pans out? (Poll after the jump)

I consider Ovie a success for overcoming the obstacles he had to...it is easy to judge Ovie for his lifestyle and personality, but he did not grow up in happy Canada or with a good government, schools, and democracy. He grew up in post-soviet Russia...It was not a pretty place to live, it was not a safe place to live, and it was definitely not a happy place to live. These Russians had to live in a very cruel world and I think their culture and subsequent personality reflects that.

Anyone who read the Greenberg article can easily pinpoint Caps struggles. Avg scoring chances against while on PK are way higher than scoring chances for while on PP. Our PP basically is no better so far than playing at even strength.

Maybe we could just "decline the penalty." Bottom line is you aren't going to score if you don't even get chances. Obviously from the highlighted area from Greenberg's diagram, and the fact that we are getting shots, it's just as we've pointed out, all the shots are from further out, the low percentage (3%) shots, and that we aren't getting many rebounds.

This is, as we've pointed out, no different than Montreal, and it ISN'T due to a hot goalie, it's due to low percentage shots.

Take 50 shots on goal, if they are all 3% shots, you will only average 1.5 GPG.

Not only is Fahey up but Nycholat is at Kettler for practice. According to Corey though Nycholat would have to sign an NHL contract to be able to play. We have such tremendous depth in the organization though, right? At least thats what I've been told for the last 3 years. For heaven's sake make a trade for an NHL quality healthy Dman, you have a surplus of F's. For one time use logic GMGM.

I think the Caps PP will improve with the return of Mike Green. The difference between of the play of the PP in the Atlanta game with an injured Mike Green compared to the play of the PP without Mike Green was glaring.

However, Laich has to learn to play in front of the net and not stand to the side. For all the talk of other players, Laich is a guy who is supposed to be gritty but rarely goes in front of the net. Yet he is rarely criticized here. Why? Maybe it's because he isn't european.

while there is definitely an anti-european bias, I don't think that is why Laich is not critisized much. He is just such a likeable guy and seems to always work hard and say the right things. I think net presence is something a lot of the Caps need to improve...Laich included.

You sure are picking on Laich lately. All the guys need to learn how to stand in front, but i think its more the PP system. They have a player high in the slot and then a player along the goal line off to the side. They rarely ever put a player directly in front of the net, and thats a major problem. It doesnt force a bottom guy on the opposing teams PK to do anything but stand there and take away angles. We make it very easy on the opposing team to stop our PP.

On Boyd Gordon, it was one of 2 things: first its something personal and he just doesnt the media or fans knowing about his family life so everything has been very quiet and seems weird or second the team told him they had a potential trade in place for him so dont come practice bc we dont want you getting hurt and screwing the trade up and now the trade has fallen through. My guess is its my first theory.

"They rarely ever put a player directly in front of the net, and thats a major problem. It doesnt force a bottom guy on the opposing teams PK to do anything but stand there and take away angles."

I agree with this. The Caps don't need to put a man in front of the net for every second of PP time but they need to do it much more often. Then when they come out without putting a guy in front of the net it will more likely throw off the opposing team.

I finally got to watch BB's video interview and he totally dismissed how other teams have adapted to his offense first system. He said, to paraphrase, that the trap does not work because his team is getting SHOTS. And people saying the trap is working, "do not know what they are talking about" (that one is a quotation). Fine, but the QUALITY of shots is weak. Other teams do not get as many SHOTS but get more QUALITY scoring oppurtunities. Given BB's dismissal of VALID criticism and his inability to adapt, even the PP, it's time for him to GO. His system is too monolithic; as Brenden Morrison noted, BB did not adapt against the Habs. Umberger also noted the Caps system is fun to watch, but will not WIN in the PLAYOFFS. Well it's not winning in the regular season. So back to the minors with BB and hire a real NHL coach.

I agree with your premise on the goalie thing. But its different to have Theo and others out there that were left looking for a job for the longest time. Varly to many is considered a top young goalie that can develop. If he was actually offered I think youd see quite a few teams bite on him.

Losing Poti, Green, and Carlson(?) is a stroke of bad luck that would cripple most teams. What is most troubling is that there doesn't seem to be many D prospects in the system. At the very least, GMGM should try to ship out an extra forward to get a young Dman for Hershey.

Do you really think any team is going to give up an even half way decent player for an over rated winger(Not a center no matter what kool aid BB & GmGm are handing out) and an injury prone goalie ???????

In answer to the poll question, I think it depends on how we do against Carolina on Wednesday. If we win I would be inclined to start Holtby against Minnesota and gamble that we can beat the Wild with Holtby in net. However, if we lose to Carolina I would start Neuvirth because we don't want to lose both games.

Clark didn't say that, Umberger did because he has been annointed as the all-knowing by those that love to hate the Caps. The Caps are just as hot or cold as the rest of the NHL less than 10 games into the season. The TRAP has nothing to do with the quality of the shots you guys. The TRAP keeps the team from even getting into the zone. Unless you are implying a crazy number of Caps shots are being taken from the neutral zone? That is not the case. Once the Caps are in the zone and popping so-called low quality shots by passing the point and letting them go, or shooting from the outside on a 3-2, they have already gotten through the trap.

Flash is not a bad winger. To say that is ridiculous. He is a good scorer and a decent passer. If he plays wing his defense would not be considered much of a liability. The Caps are spoiled with such talented wingers that we have the luxury of being super picky of non-elite players.

Never said he was a bad winger just said he was over rated, he is not a 2nd line winger the same as he is not a center thats all I was saying. I agree he is a good winger just not what GmGm & BB want us to believe.

Issue number 1 can only be solved with a trade, we have a surplus of F's. Thats why I want to trade Flash. And the Dmen we get back doesnt even have to be all that great. Just a consistent NHL level player.

Issue number 2 can be fixed with slight tactical adjustments and a desire to get their nose dirty in front of the goal.

Issue number 3 you just have to wait until it happens. Basically it all hinges on Nicky playing better.

"Tales of Ovechkin's childhood brim with prophetic apocrypha: When he was 2, he grabbed a toy hockey stick at a store and wouldn't let go; at 5, he glimpsed a Dynamo game on TV and cried until Dad switched the channel back; at 10, he hit a goalpost so hard the puck broke in half. (His coach kept the halves as a kind of religious arti-fact.)"

He hasn't gone on IR and hasn't been classified as injured. This isn't about who is scratched, its about number of bodies allowed on active roster. With Fahey called up another player has to go on IR or waivers.

Green-Schultz
Carlson(who is hurt)-Erskine
Alzner-Sloan
Fahey called up
Poti on IR

Neuvy/Holtby

15 F's, 7 D, 2 goalies = 24, you can only have 23 active. Who knows maybe Boyd is on IR but they keep saying he's healthy and going on the trip. MaJo could already be on IR with his hip flexor. BB said he doesnt even know who has been on IR or who currently is.

he was called up because technically Bradley won't come off IR until tomorrow since its game day. But you are right, something is missing and still another move has to be made. Like I said BB doesnt even know whos on IR.

on ovi's GQ article, i just hope he will do good this year, otherwise he'll get booed because of articles like dad. we always say, we don't care what these players do off season, but they should play well and produce, or they'll hear something from the fans who are paying to watch them play a good game.

fanohock1 beat me to it:
"The TRAP has nothing to do with the quality of the shots you guys. The TRAP keeps the team from even getting into the zone."

There are several ways to beat a trap, the one most historically effective is to dump the puck deep. But for this to be effective, the other 2 forwards must forecheck fast and hard and be willing to engage in heavy body contact. This also requires those 2 forwards to momentarily leave what would normally be their checks. This would present a brief window of vulnerability. Trust in your d-men is essential at this point.

The Caps have the speed. It does seem they lack the toughness or willingness to finish the aggressive forecheck with fierce and sustained body contact. It also seems that they may not have quite the confidence in their defensive corp to chance that window of vulnerability (in man-to-man coverage transitioning to aggressive 2 man forecheck).

The top 2 knocks against the Caps: grittiness in the trenches and top-notch Defensive defensemen.

But again, the trap will only impact their ability to gain the o-zone, not affect the shot-quality.

Regarding PP, there was one PP on Saturday in which the Caps appeared to be finally running on all cylinders. Although they did not score, hopefully this is the beginning of power play production.

Is the Ovie article in GQ a worthwhile read, or is it just a hit piece? Backstrom [for one] has raved about what a good person #8 is behind the scenes [giving $ to charity, the poor, etc.] but that he does without drawing attention to himself.

I am getting so sick of the Canadian hockey propaganda machine's hyping of Crosby - I mean, can you imagine the outcry if one of our Caps had done this:

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